How to Work from Home and Be Successful

Happy Monday! I know in my previous post I shared tips for keeping a positive and healthy attitude. This week I am expanding on that post to share tricks on working from home and being successful.

The keys for success are routine, dressing for the day, specifying a work space, minimizing distractions, creating a to do list, setting ground rules for family and guests, taking breaks, getting outside for fresh air, and socializing. Read on for a glimpse of my day!

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In order for anyone to be successful they have to find a space that is conducive to work and reflects their personality and is equipped with the proper tools. That means lighting, workspace, outlets, doors, etc. We have been quarantining at our country home in East Texas and the layout is a little different than our Dallas home.

I have designated work spaces for all of us. Chris is in our front room that already had a desk, lamp, and doors for privacy. I have a temporary chair for him to use while he is on calls. I also bought him an “selfie” light so he has ample lighting for all of his video conferences. He also uses his Beats to assist with noise cancelling and make for a smoother interaction. This space has photos of the kids too for a personal touch.

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I use a built in in our kitchen/dining area. We have a desktop there and I can hop on my computer to push content to a variety of channels. If I take a call I am typically at our dining room table where the lighting is good for an easy and clear interface. I will occasionally work from outside if I need that fresh air. I too utilize my Beats or Air Pods to assist with any calls and eliminate noise.

The kids setup is outside. We utilize a table and folding chairs on the patio. They each have a binder with their school subjects and agenda. They bring their iPads out and borrow any of our extra ear phones for any videos or teacher interaction that takes place. If one child needs additional assistance or has to record their lesson they will step into the sun room to have privacy and quiet.

Now that all have a designated space to work lets talk about the SCHEDULE. I am a big believer in maintaining a schedule. I will preface that and say that I although I like a schedule I also love spontaneity. That said, I allow for the occasional interruption and modify my day based on that change. No two days look the exact same, but they do follow the same basics to keep us on track.

Here is a sample schedule I adhere to during this quarantine:

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The kids schedule is included in mine as I am the executor of their time essentially. I also want them to see what I am doing so they can develop good habits and carry them with them throughout their years. Like I said earlier, we use this as a guideline and frequently have interruptions to our schedule. The great thing about the above is that all four kids and my husband understand what is going on for the day and can manage their time better.

I recently bought a magnetic dry erase calendar for the fridge that displays our schedule. We also use our iCalendar for recurring appointments and share it with the family. I try to remind the kids of their schedule the following day so there are no surprises. This helps lay the ground rules for expectations of the day and what I expect from them. I am no Mommy Dearest, but I want the kids to have as similar of an experience to school as possible. AND as we all know a parent teaching a child is one of the hardest roles possible. Your child will always act differently with their teacher.

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Another thing we do is utilize our resources. For example, if our internet is running slowly and we have an important call we will head to town and park in an open lot so we can get better reception. Other times Chris will head to Dallas for the quiet and reception (this is only for super important calls that are company and client wide). I have my mom come visit too if I am busy with calls and Chris is out of pocket. Worst case scenario the kids hop on their devices a little extra that day. Bottom line is do what you have to do!

We have family pop in and out as mentioned above. One thing they understand is that during the week the kids and I follow the schedule above. School is the priority and everything else is second. They also all know where we work and try to respect our space.

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Finally, I have found that I am talking with friends more often. We have designated social hours every week. I typically have 2-3 with all my different friend groups. This is has been so fun to connect and share my day with my girls. It helps recharge my soul and keep me focused on what is important.

Now I know that seems like a lot, but remember I have four children and am managing a house for six. We are a very active family and all the kids are super close in age. As long as you designate your space, set your routine and expectations, find time for the outdoors, squeeze in a mental recharge, and a little socializing you will be postured for success. Most of you are probably already doing 75% of this already.

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Meet Vanessa

I am a Dallas native, wife to my favorite chuggies, and mom to 4 awesome kids, two chocolate fur babies, and a sweet cat that adopted us! I am a book lover, exercise nut, foodie, travel connoisseur, Longhorn, and a maxi dress aficionado. I created TexasMadre as a space to share my love for fashion, family, travel and more. You have to be true to yourself to live, laugh, and love. I hope this space inspires others to be REAL and have fun along the way.
XOXO,
Vanessa

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